Written Answers Thursday 18 September 2008

Scottish Executive

Airports

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recommendations in the recent Competition Commission report on BAA airports market investigation.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government’s views remain that we want to see an airport sector which continues to contribute to our goal of sustainable economic growth.

Ambulance Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15469 by Shona Robison on 4 September 2008, when an additional member of staff will be recruited by the Scottish Ambulance Service for the Arrochar station.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Ambulance Service anticipate that the additional member of staff will be trained and in post before the end of this calendar year.

Ambulance Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15472 by Shona Robison on 4 September 2008, how it will ensure that the Scottish Ambulance Service demonstrates that it is improving performance in meeting the revised national target for category A calls across Scotland and, specifically, for rural areas.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15472 by Shona Robison on 4 September 2008, how it will ensure that optimal performance against category A call targets for the Scottish Ambulance Service in urban areas does not mask poorer performance in rural areas.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15472 by Shona Robison on 4 September 2008, whether it will continue to collect data at an NHS board and local area level to assess performance by the Scottish Ambulance Service against targets for category A call response times.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Ambulance Service and the Scottish Government will continue to collect information and monitor performance across all parts of Scotland, including rural areas.

Ambulance Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15472 by Shona Robison on 4 September 2008, whether the reduced national performance target for the Scottish Ambulance Service for category A calls from 75% for each NHS board to 75% across Scotland is due to a reduction in resources or the need to meet efficiency targets.

Shona Robison: The category A performance target was revised to ensure that it was both challenging yet deliverable. There has been no reduction in resources provided to the Scottish Ambulance Service, neither was the requirement to achieve efficiency savings a factor.

Antisocial Behaviour

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of investigation time is to process an antisocial behaviour order complaint, broken down by local authority.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally.

Antisocial Behaviour

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what average length of time it takes to serve an antisocial behaviour order after the original complaint is made against the offender.

Fergus Ewing: While the information requested is not routinely collected, the DTZ/Pieda report Use of Antisocial Behaviour Orders in Scotland examined the key issues around the use of ASBOs in Scotland, including the time taken to prepare them. This report was published in September 2007 and is available on the Scottish Government’s website at www.scotland.gov.uk .

Asylum Seekers

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funds it makes available to assist women asylum seekers fleeing domestic violence who do not otherwise have recourse to public funds.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what emergency funding it makes available to assist women asylum seekers fleeing domestic violence who do not otherwise have recourse to public funds.

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the needs of women asylum seekers fleeing domestic abuse will be addressed in the strategic framework on violence against women that it is currently considering.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government does not provide any funding, emergency or otherwise, to women asylum seekers, fleeing domestic abuse, who have no recourse to public funds, as immigration and benefit issues are reserved to Westminster. This is a matter which I have raised with Home Office ministers, most recently with Vernon Coaker MP, in June this year.

  The Home Office has now announced plans to introduce a new scheme which will bring about four significant changes to the system for women on spousal visas who have experienced domestic abuse and have no recourse to public funds. These changes are:

  that victims may be eligible to receive a contribution to housing costs;

  applications for indefinite leave will be processed by the UK Border Agency in 20 working days;

  guidance will be produced to support organisations, and

  the £750 application fee will be waived under the destitution rule.

  The Home Office met with government officials from across the UK on 13 August 2008 to discuss no recourse to public funds for women experiencing domestic abuse and who are on a spousal visa. At the meeting, an agreed way forward was suggested for implementation in these four areas and it is hoped that these changes will be in place by autumn this year.

  Scottish Government officials are currently considering how best to take this forward in Scotland and how to address this issue in the violence against women framework that is being developed. A short life working group has been established by the Violence Against Women team in the Equality Unit to examine possible options, with Scottish Women’s Aid, COSLA, Shakti Women’s Aid and Hemat Gryffe Women’s Aid among the members. The Scottish Government will also be liaising with the COSLA Strategic Migration Partnership (CSMP) on how to progress work on this issue. The CSMP are currently preparing guidance for Scottish local authorities.

Central Heating Programme

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average number of monthly applications for the central heating programme (a) was prior to the changes in the programme and (b) is now.

Stewart Maxwell: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing announced on 22 May that she was prioritising the new applications of the central heating programme (CHP) with immediate effect to give priority to the fuel poor and allow headroom for reform of the Programme. This decision was supported by Lindsay Scott of Help the Aged who said "the universal scheme was unsustainable. With rising energy costs it is more important than ever that it is targeted at those who are in fuel poverty."

  Households currently having their applications processed under the priority arrangements announced by the Cabinet Secretary are:

  those over 60 who have no central heating system;

  those aged 60 to 79 with a systems that has broken down, who are in receipt of the guaranteed element of Pension Credit, and

  over 80s with a systems that has broken down.

  The actual and average number of applications to the programme from January 2007 until August 2008 are shown in the following table.

  

 Period
Total Applications Received
Average in Each Quarter
Average Overthe Year


 January 2007
 2,514
 
 


 February 2007
 2,721
 
 


 March 2007
 2,605
 
 


 Total
 7,840
 2,613
 N/A


 April 2007
 2,838
 
 


 May 2007
 2,951
 
 


 June 2007
 2,755
 
 


 Total
 8,544
 2,848
 


 July 2007
 2,362
 
 


 August 2007
 2,292
 
 


 September 2007
 1,910
 
 


 Total
 6,564
 2,188
 


 October 2007
 2,581
 
 


 November 2007
 2,554
 
 


 December 2007
 1,340
 
 


 Total
 6,475
 2,158
 


 January 2008
 2,320
 
 


 February 2008
 2,364
 
 


 March 2008
 2,100
 
 


 Total
 6,784
 2,261
 2,364


 April 2008
 2,327
 
 


 May 2008
 2,067
 
 


 June 2008
 914
 
 


 Total
 5,308
 1,769
 


 July 2008
 871
 -
 


 August 2008
 671
 -
 


 Total 
 1,542
 N/A
 



  Notes:

  1. Prior to the Cabinet Secretary’s announcement of 22 May 2008 information on the number of people applying who may have been in the priority group is not known.

  2. Average provided for the year is based on financial year i.e. 1 April to 31 March.

Central Heating Programme

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it has spent on its central heating programme per local authority area in each of the last five years.

Stewart Maxwell: In the private sector the information is not held by local authority areas, but for Scotland as a whole. For Scotland as a whole, the information is shown in the following table:

  

 Financial Year
Expenditure (£ Million)


 2003-04 
 30.34


 2004-05 
 43.46


 2005-06
 52.20


 2006-07
 37.64


 2007-081,2
 48.06


 Total
 211.70



  Notes:

  1. The expenditure for 2007-08 is an estimate as the accruals process has still to be finalised.

  2. The original budget allocation for the central heating programme in 2007-08 was £40.6 million. Around £8 million in additional resources was provided to meet the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing’s "Winter Waiting Time Initiative" and install the highest number of systems ever installed in the private sector in any one year.

  In the public sector the programme ended for local authorities in March 2004 and, therefore, no installations were undertaken by local authorities in 2004-05. The information covering 2003-04 is shown in the following table.

  

 Local Authority Area
Expenditure (£ Million) 2003-04


 Argyle and Bute Council
 0.01


 Dundee City Council
 0.69


 East Ayrshire Council
 0.03


 East Renfrewshire
 0.28


 Fife Council
 0.60


 Inverclyde Council
 0.06


 Midlothian Council
 0.01


 Orkney Council
 0.01


 Renfrewshire Council
 0.10


 Shetland Council
 0.04


 South Lanarkshire Council
 2.0


 West Dunbartonshire Council
 0.05


 Total
 3.88



  With the exception of Glasgow Housing Association (GHA), the programme for housing associations ended in December 2004. Therefore, the information provided covers 2003-04 and 2004-05, the final year the programme was in place for housing associations, and is shown in the following table:

  

 Local Authority Area
Expenditure (£ Million) 2003-04
Expenditure (£ Million) 2004-05


 Aberdeen City Council
 0.005
 0.0025


 City of Edinburgh
 0.85
 0.30


 Glasgow City Council
 2.69
 0.95


 Highland Council
 0.0025
 0


 Renfrewshire Council
 0.073
 0.0025


 Total
 3.62
 1.25



  For GHA, the Programme ended in March 2007. Therefore, all the installations were undertaken in the Glasgow City Council area and the information shown in the following table covers the period 2003-04 until 2006-07.

  

 Year
Expenditure (£ Million)


 2003-04
 2.99


 2004-05
 4.12


 2005-06
 4.80


 2006-07
 8.22


 Total
 20.13

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many graffiti removal notices have been issued in the Lothians region in each month since introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of graffiti and vandalism have taken place in the Lothians region in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of graffiti and vandalism have taken place in the Lothians region in each month since May 2007, broken down by local authority area.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what success it has had in reducing the levels of vandalism and graffiti in each local authority area in the Lothians region.

Fergus Ewing: Responsibility for tackling levels of vandalism and graffiti lies with local authorities.

  The success of local authorities in tackling levels of vandalism and graffiti will be measured against delivery of the national outcomes identified in the single outcome agreements, as agreed between the local authorities and the Scottish Government.

Culture

Nigel Don (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place for schools to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns.

Adam Ingram: As part of Homecoming Scotland 2009, local authorities and other bodies will provide schools with many opportunities such as Burns suppers, musical and literary events to both celebrate the birth of Robert Burns and learn about his and Scotland’s contribution to the world.

Culture

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assumptions about the timetable of the various stages of the Public Services Reform Bill underlie the statement in its press release of 3 September 2008 that Creative Scotland will become a statutory body by February 2010.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government is planning on the basis that the Public Services Reform Bill will be introduced to the Parliament in early 2009, and will complete its parliamentary passage towards the end of 2009. It will be for the Parliament to determine the timing of the parliamentary stages but, on the assumption that the bill will receive Royal Assent by the end of 2009, we expect to be in a position to commence the provisions of the bill from February 2010 onwards.

Culture

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all the reports it has requested about the costs of establishing Creative Scotland.

Linda Fabiani: Scottish Government officials have been working closely with the joint board to progress plans and transition costs for establishing Creative Scotland prior to 18 June 2008. Ministers received on 22 August the joint board’s report on potential transition costs. We will work with the joint board to finalise these costs which will form the basis for that section of the Public Services Reform Bill’s Financial Memorandum. In the interim, all information received is in the form of working documentation to inform the financial memorandum.

Culture

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has or will be transferred from Scottish Enterprise to Creative Scotland in order to support the creative industries.

Linda Fabiani: £100,000 in respect of support for the cultural enterprise office will, from 2009-10, transfer from Scottish Enterprise to Creative Scotland. I confirmed this in the Parliament on 18 June 2008.

Culture

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the role of Creative Scotland in supporting the creative industries and any resulting changes to the role of (a) Scottish Enterprise, (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise and (c) local authorities.

Linda Fabiani: As I stated in the Parliament on 18 June 2008, Creative Scotland will be the national development body for the arts and culture. It will work in partnership with other publicly funded organisations including Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and local authorities to support the creative industries, reflecting the particular responsibilities of those organisations for economic development and business support.

Culture

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in relation to the Royal Charter of the Scottish Arts Council.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government is committed to establishing Creative Scotland which will involve replacing the Scottish Arts Council. We are exploring the most suitable mechanism for the Scottish Arts Council’s Royal Charter being brought to an end to enable that process to progress.

Culture

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will advertise the post of chief executive of Creative Scotland.

Linda Fabiani: Once the company is established, ministers will appoint a new chair and board of directors as quickly as possible to keep up the momentum in establishing the new body. It will be the new board’s responsibility to appoint a chief executive.

Culture

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place between it and relevant UK departments on issues arising from art works on loan to Scotland’s national collections when lenders re-assess their estates in anticipation of death duties.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government liaises regularly on the Acceptance in Lieu scheme with the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, the UK Government’s advisers on museum and gallery matters, which acts on behalf of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. The Acceptance in Lieu scheme enables an estate to satisfy more inheritance tax than by selling items on the open market, and at the same time allows the nation to acquire important works of art.

  The Scottish Government may also discuss private treaty sales with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. These enable items which have been granted conditional exemption from inheritance tax to be purchased by a public museum or gallery in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland at a price which is beneficial to both public purchaser and private vendor.

Culture

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any deals have been made to retain on view in Scotland art works that are on loan to the national collections and, if so, what those deals are.

Linda Fabiani: Decisions on the works of art that are to be loaned and displayed on view in the National Galleries of Scotland are an operational matter for the National Galleries. There are hundreds of loans in operation at any one time, and it is for the National Galleries to determine what artworks it wishes to take on loan and to negotiate with the owners.

  Decisions on whether to extend a loan or to purchase an object are also entirely a matter for the National Galleries. Scottish ministers have no locus to direct the National Galleries in these matters.

Defence

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many replies have now been received to the First Minister’s letter to signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; which countries have not yet replied, and whether reminder letters are to be sent.

Bruce Crawford: I refer the member to the question S3W-9292 on 20 March 2008. No further responses have been received since that date, and there is no requirement to remind State Parties of the opposition of the Scottish Government and Parliament to a new generation of nuclear weapons being based in Scotland.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Education

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the OECD report that states that the largest educational attainment gap in Scotland exists at P4 and P5.

Fiona Hyslop: We have made it clear that we see the OECD report as a seminal document for Scottish education. In the debate on the review in Parliament on 16 January this year I said that the report will continue to be a catalyst for change as it challenges all of us, including this government, about educational thinking.

  The report does not in fact state that the largest educational attainment gap in Scotland exists at P4 and P5. The report discusses the need to reduce the achievement gap that the authors state opens up about P5 and continues to widen during junior secondary school.

  In my day of discussion with the OECD Education Policy Committee they agreed that this government’s attention to and focus on the early years and early intervention in nursery and P1 to P3 will help build better foundations and resilience to prevent that gap from opening in the first place.

Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that pupils absent from exams due to illness have the right of appeal against grades given by the SQA.

Maureen Watt: Setting and assessing examinations in Scotland is the responsibility of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). SQA have fair and robust systems in place to ensure that, as far as is possible, candidates are not disadvantaged through illness or other circumstances which prevent them from sitting the external exam.

  To ensure the credibility of SQA awards, the absentee and appeals procedures, which are identical, are based upon scrutiny of a candidate’s actual demonstrated evidence of attainment by professional teaching and subject experts appointed as SQA Examiners.

Education

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities employ dedicated educational psychologists.

Adam Ingram: Under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, all local authorities are required to have a psychology service. It is for authorities to decide the numbers of psychologists required to provide this service.

Fire (Scotland) Act 2005

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment was made of fire risks in bed and breakfast establishments when formulating the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.

Fergus Ewing: The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 enabled a new safety regime to be introduced for all premises in Scotland, with the exception of private dwellings, based upon risk assessment and fire prevention and mitigation measures. The regime was also designed to be better understood and administered by businesses and relevant enforcement agencies. The new fire safety regime was implemented by the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 which came into force in October 2006. As in normal practice, the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 were informed by a regulatory impact assessment which assessed the cost and benefits of different implementation options on the various sectors affected, including the small businesses such as bead and breakfast establishments. Regulatory impact assessment 2003/56 is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/917/0041374.pdf.

Fire (Scotland) Act 2005

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a review of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and, if not, whether it plans to undertake one.

Fergus Ewing: The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 came into force in April 2005. Supporting regulations for part 3 of the act, The Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, came into force in October 2006 and guidance has been developed and issued progressively culminating with the publication of Practical Fire safety Guidance for Healthcare Premises in January 2008. As this is new legislation which is currently bedding in, no review of the Act has been undertaken and we have no plans to commission one at this time. However, under section 40 of the act, Scottish ministers are required to prepare a Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland and keep the document under review. In my answer to S3W-7926 on 18 December 2007, I confirmed that we are working with the fire and rescue authorities and the unions to review the existing framework. This work is progressing well and will in due course set out agreed priorities and objectives for fire and rescue authorities in a manner consistent with the government’s new partnership with local government.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Fire (Scotland) Act 2005

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when Scottish ministers have sought advice from VisitScotland and bed and breakfast providers on the impact of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and what the advice was on each occasion.

Fergus Ewing: The detailed information requested is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46544).

General Practitioners

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for a GP appointment in each NHS board area.

Shona Robison: Information on average waiting times for a GP appointment is not collected centrally.

  The Scottish Government’s target on access to GP services is that anyone contacting their GP practice should have guaranteed access to a GP, nurse or other health care professional within 48 hours.

  Throughout 2006-07 and 2007-08, NHS boards reported that almost all GP practices (nationally, over 99%) were consistently compliant with the requirements for this target, which require practices to have in place systems that support delivery of 48 hour access.

  Information on the target and the guidance issued to NHS boards is available publicly from the 48 Hour Access website http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/48houraccess.

General Practitioners

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to increase GP participation in the extended hours scheme in order that patients can access appointments.

Shona Robison: As at 29 August, 52 per cent of all GP practices in Scotland are committed to offering extended hours. This is an encouraging start that we will build on in the future.

  In the first instance we have asked those boards with lower uptake rates to re-approach GP practices who have declined to take up extended hours, concentrating the discussion on the particular circumstances of each individual practice and how existing flexibilities might be used to make it possible for those practices to participate.

General Practitioners

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets are being achieved for patients in respect of the policy objective of obtaining a GP appointment within 48 hours.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s target on access to GP services is that anyone contacting their GP practice should have guaranteed access to a GP, nurse or other health care professional within 48 hours.

  Throughout 2006-07 and 2007-08, NHS boards reported that almost all GP practices (nationally, over 99%) were consistently compliant with the requirements for this target, which require practices to have in place systems that support delivery of 48 hour access.

  Information on the target and the guidance issued to NHS boards is available publicly from the 48 Hour Access website http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/48houraccess.

General Practitioners

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the role is of NHS Lanarkshire in monitoring whether patients are obtaining a GP appointment within 48 hours.

Shona Robison: For years 2006-07 and 2007-08, the 48 hour access requirements were laid down in the specifications of a Directed Enhanced Service (DES) for NHS boards as part of the nationally negotiated GP contract arrangements. The requirements of the DES were monitored by all health boards on a quarterly basis which required practices to formally declare that they met the requirements of the DES.

  In addition to monitoring the requirements of the DES, health boards can deploy a variety of methods to support the monitoring process such as local GP contract reviews, Quality and Outcome Framework Review visits which often include a review of practices ability to meet the 48 hour access requirements, and the pre-payment verification process.

  Where there is evidence indicating that a practice had not met the requirements of the DES, the health board should visit the practice to offer support and guidance to re-establish appropriate 48 hour access for patients.

  From 1 April 2008, measurement and reward for delivery of 48 hour access will be based on a new annual GP Access Survey. Crucially this will mean that future payment to practices will be determined by patient views, rather than the previous self-reporting arrangements.

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support services it is putting in place to assist people diagnosed with cardiomyopathy through the screening programme for young athletes.

Nicola Sturgeon: The results of every assessment undertaken by the cardiac assessment in young athletes pilot programme will be notified to that person’s GP. The number of positive cases is expected to be very small. Where a cardiac problem is found, the athlete concerned will be directed to an appropriate clinic for care. This may be a general cardiology clinic or, if more specialist care is required, a clinic for cardiomyopathy, inherited arrhythmias or adult congenital heart disease as appropriate. Genetic counselling would also be provided as necessary.

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding will be made available to support people diagnosed with cardiomyopathy through the screening programme for young athletes.

Nicola Sturgeon: The two-year pilot programme itself will cost £200,000. Given the very small number of positive cases the programme is likely to identify, we would expect support for these athletes to be provided by existing NHSScotland services.

Health

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations were cancelled in 2007-08 because of a lack of (a) staff, (b) beds and (c) equipment, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The specific information requested is not available centrally.

  ISD Scotland collect some information on the number of in-patient/day case episodes where operations/procedures were not carried out following admission to hospital. However, it is not possible to identify for what reason the cancellation occurred.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Joint Futures agenda will play in achieving its objectives in Better Health Better Care: Action Plan .

Nicola Sturgeon: Joint Future will contribute to ensuring better, local and faster access to health care through partnership working between local authorities and the NHS. This will be achieved through the Community Care Outcomes Framework and implementation of the National Minimum Information Standards for Assessment and Care Planning for All Adults.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current and future programmes are for Joint Futures; how many people are employed in this unit, and for what role they are employed.

Nicola Sturgeon: Joint Future is the lead policy on joint working between local authorities and the NHS on community care. The current programme, and that for the immediate future, includes: the development and delivery of the Community Care Outcomes Framework; promoting the development and use of single shared assessment through the implementation of the National Minimum Information Standards for Assessment and Care Planning for All Adults, and the development of the integrated financial framework, all of which support the Scottish Government’s wider agenda on delivering better outcomes for service delivery and shifting the balance of care.

  The unit employs six civil servants, who are responsible for developing and implementing policy and guidance to support joint working. The unit also includes five secondees from the NHS and local government who support local authority and NHS partnerships in delivering better outcomes for community care.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what specific guidance is issued on Clostridium difficile.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15580 on 10 September 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14336 by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 July 2008, when the outbreaks of Clostridium difficile were notified to (a) Health Protection Scotland and (b) the public in the case of (i) Stobhill Hospital, (ii) Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and (iii) the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: For (i) Stobhill Hospital and (ii) Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14688 on 24 July 2008, and for (iii) Vale of Leven Hospital, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-14687 on 24 July 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to study the effect of the introduction of a minimum age limit of two years on the mandatory surveillance of Clostridium difficile-associated disease in (a) England from April 2007, (b) Wales from September 2008 and (c) Northern Ireland from April 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: Yes. As with all areas of healthcare associated infection, Health Protection Scotland (HPS) regularly monitors developments around the UK and in other countries. It will continue to study all the research evidence to determine whether testing in this age group should be introduced here.

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that no agreement has been reached with COSLA by the Scottish Government on the proposed £40 million contribution to affordable housing announced by the First Minister on 19 August 2008.

Stewart Maxwell: The First Minister made clear in the Donald Dewar Memorial lecture on 19 August 2008 that, in line with the concordat, the proposed £40 million contribution from local government was subject to discussion with local government. There have been positive discussions with COSLA and these are continuing.

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that, as referred to in the report, Local Authority Housing Income and Expenditure: 1997-98 to 2008-09, released by the Scottish Government on 19 August 2008, local authority housing debt will total £1,934.9 million by 31 March 2009.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that, as referred to in the report, Local Authority Housing Income and Expenditure: 1997-98 to 2008-09, released by the Scottish Government on 19 August 2008, the housing debt of local authorities will increase by £92.9 million (5%) between March 2008 and March 2009.

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that, as referred to in the report, Local Authority Housing Income and Expenditure: 1997-98 to 2008-09, released by the Scottish Government on 19 August 2008, the housing debt of local authorities will increase for the first time for over a decade.

Stewart Maxwell: The projected increase in total Scottish housing debt is not an entirely new development. In 2007-08 and 2008-09 total housing debt in Scotland was reduced due to the exclusion of debt within Argyll and Bute, Eilean Siar and Inverclyde. Had the debt from these local authorities not been written off there would have been year on year increases in total Scottish housing debt in each of the last two financial years, 2007-08 and 2008-09.

  The Local Authority Housing Income and Expenditure statistics publication is based on information provided to the Scottish Government by local authorities. The information given for March 2009 is the position which Local authorities expect to reach based on their 2008-09 plans. From this expected expenditure it is estimated that the overall level of housing debt in local authority areas in Scotland will increase by £92.9 million to £1,934.9 million. This would be the first increase in overall housing debt for over a decade.

  Closer inspection of the projected debt also shows that the largest expected increase totalling £85.9 million are in four council areas - Midlothian, Aberdeen, East Lothian and Edinburgh. In the case of Aberdeen, Midlothian and East Lothian, the councils have recently built council housing, are building council housing or have plans to build new council housing in the coming year on the strength of low levels of housing debt. This is in line with Scottish Government policy to encourage new council house building where councils have both a proven excess housing demand and prudential borrowing capacity.

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that, as referred to in the report, Local Authority Housing Income and Expenditure: 1997-98 to 2008-09, released by the Scottish Government on 19 August 2008, the housing debt of Edinburgh City Council will amount to £14,517 per house by March 2009.

Stewart Maxwell: The individual level of housing debt in a local authority is a matter for the local authority itself, operating within the prudential borrowing regime. Local authorities will plan their borrowings on the basis of the need to spend to improve or add to their housing stock set against their ability to service any additional debt incurred using their expected stream of net rentals or to fund such expenditure from capital receipts.

  Yes the Scottish Government can confirm that, based on figures provided by the local authority, it is estimated that the housing debt in Edinburgh City Council will be £14,517 per house in March 2009.

Housing

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement by the First Minister on 19 August 2008 that up to £100 million of affordable housing investment is to be spent this year and next, rather than in 2010-11 as originally planned, how many affordable housing units are expected to be built in (a) East and (b) South Ayrshire in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11.

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the £100 million to be brought forward under the Affordable Housing Investment Programme will be earmarked for new affordable housing in the Lothians region, broken down by local authority area.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15759 on 16 September, 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk./webapp/wa.search .

Housing

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation was undertaken with (a) East and (b) South Ayrshire Council on the proposed £40 million contribution from local authorities to an affordable housing programme prior to the First Minister’s announcement on 19 August 2008.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it expects (a) East and (b) South Ayrshire to contribute to the proposed £40 million sum from local authorities for affordable housing as announced by the First Minister on 19 August 2008.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15727 on 9 September 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk./webapp/wa.search .

International Relations

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish further work on international promotion and reputation management.

Linda Fabiani: We published details of work on international promotion and reputation management on the Scotland Performs website in June 2008.

Justice

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many life prisoners were recalled to prison in each of the last five years.

Kenny MacAskill: The number of life sentence prisoners recalled to custody per year up to 2006 is available in the following publication: Parole Board for Scotland, Annual Report, Appendix B, Table 3.

  The publication is available online at http://www.scottishparoleboard.gov.uk/reports.asp.

Justice

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of life prisoners was recalled to prison in each of the last five years.

Kenny MacAskill: We do not hold information in a form that allows for this comparison to be made.

Justice

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fire (a) incidents, (b) injuries and (c) deaths there were in bed and breakfast establishments in each of the 10 years prior to the coming into force of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.

Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-3984 on 4 September 2008, which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-08/sor0904-02.htm#Col10526.

Justice

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many motorists have been caught speeding in (a) Greenock, (b) Gourock, (c) Port Glasgow, (d) Inverkip (e) Wemyss Bay, (f) Bishopbriggs, (g) Kirkintilloch, (h) Bearsden and (i) Paisley in each year since 2002.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally. The police recorded crime statistics collected centrally are based on an aggregate return at local authority level.

  Strathclyde Police Force may be able to provide this information.

Justice

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many motorists who were caught speeding in each year since 2002 lived in (a) Greenock, (b) Gourock, (c) Port Glasgow, (d) Inverkip, (e) Wemyss Bay, (f) Bishopbriggs, (g) Kirkintilloch, (h) Bearsden and (i) Paisley.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally. The police recorded crime statistics collected centrally are based on an aggregate return at local authority level.

  Strathclyde Police Force may be able to provide this information.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been convicted for sex crimes in each of the last five years, broken down by sheriffdom.

Kenny MacAskill: The information is given in the following table. People who were tried in the High Court are shown separately.

  People with a Charge Proved in 2002-03 to 2006-07 whose Main Crime was a Crime of Indecency

  

 Sheriffdom
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07


 Tayside, Central and Fife
 82
 93
 73
 104
 108


 Lothian and Borders
 72
 80
 80
 108
 94


 Glasgow and Strathkelvin
 140
 159
 275
 315
 324


 North Strathclyde
 39
 46
 57
 37
 47


 South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
 53
 57
 73
 61
 62


 Grampian, Highland and Islands
 52
 90
 107
 117
 129


 High court
 124
 141
 144
 110
 77


 All
 562
 666
 809
 852
 841

Justice

Nigel Don (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will be consulting on the jury system.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government will today publish a consultation paper on the Modern Scottish Jury in Criminal Trials.

  Copies have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46486).

Licensing

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what extra (a) funding and (b) policing was used in the Stop the Supply off-sales alcohol pilot.

Shona Robison: Central Scotland Police inform us that the Stop the Supply campaign was specifically designed to have long-term sustainability at no extra cost. As such it is being delivered as part of area constables’ normal duties and has involved no additional funding or policing.

Ministerial Correspondence

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its performance was in answering ministerial correspondence in the second quarter of 2008.

Bruce Crawford: In the quarter April to June 2008, 11,094 letters were received by ministers and 94 % received a reply within our target of 20 working days.

Ministerial Meetings

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times ministers have met Cairde na h’Eireann (Friends of Ireland) since 17 May 2007.

Linda Fabiani: There have been no meetings between ministers and Cairde na h’Eireann (Friends of Ireland) since 17 May 2007, although officials have been in contact with the organisation.

NHS Hospitals

Angela Constance (Livingston) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the occupancy rates have been of beds in the Scottish Liver Transplant Unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in each of the last 12 months.

Nicola Sturgeon: Bed occupancy rates are not available centrally broken down by month. The average bed occupancy for the year 2007-08 at the Scottish Liver Transplant Unit was 96%.

Noise Pollution

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fixed penalty notices for noise nuisance have been issued in each year since their introduction, broken down by local authority area.

Michael Russell: Details are as follows:

  

 Participating Local Authority
 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 FPN
 FPN
 FPN


 Aberdeen
 29
 43
 35


 Angus
 0
 0
 0


 Argyll and Bute
 0
 0
 0


 Clackmannanshire
 0
 -
 -


 Clackmannanshire and Stirling (Joint)
 -
 2
 3


 Dumfries and Galloway
 5
 1
 0


 Dundee
 -
 27
 23


 East Ayrshire
 9
 13
 6


 East Dunbartonshire
 -
 6
 10


 East Lothian
 0
 2
 1


 East Renfrewshire
 0
 0
 0


 Edinburgh
 35
 38
 49


 Falkirk
 0
 0
 3


 Fife
 -
 2
 0


 Glasgow
 24
 8
 6


 Inverclyde
 0
 2
 0


 Midlothian
 2
 1
 4


 North Ayrshire
 4
 6
 8


 North Lanarkshire
 0
 2
 1


 Orkney
 0
 -
 -


 Perth and Kinross
 0
 6
 6


 Renfrewshire
 0
 1
 9


 South Ayrshire
 0
 6
 11


 South Lanarkshire
 9
 7
 9


 West Dunbartonshire
 7
 12
 0


 West Lothian
 0
 2
 7

People with Learning Disabilities

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it recommends the In Control project approach to the provision of services for adults with learning disabilities as being capable of providing for all adults with learning disabilities.

Shona Robison: In Control is an organisation, independent of central government, which some local authorities are funding to promote personalised support for adults, including those with a learning disability. It is, therefore, not for central government to recommend but for local authorities to decide whether the product is something which helps them to meet the needs of those they serve. The Scottish Government has reissued national guidance on self-directed support which In Control has adopted in part.

Renewable Energy

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that future tidal and wave power developments in the Pentland Firth will be not be impeded by Scottish Natural Heritage’s proposal to create an extended marine reserve off the north coast of Caithness.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is involved with a number of public sector partners in a project aimed at helping to develop the tremendous renewable energy potential in the Pentland Firth. The success of this initiative and others like it will depend to a large extent on the availability of the best possible environmental information.

  Scottish Natural Heritage are to consult on the proposals to extend EC Special Protection Areas for seabirds into the marine environment around Scotland. A full Regulatory Impact Assessment of the effect of these proposals on existing and new activities, including marine renewables, has been commissioned. Specific work designed to reduce environmental uncertainties relevant to the development of marine renewables has also been commissioned.

Roads

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on improvements to the Balfarg and Cadham junctions on the A92.

Stewart Stevenson: Improvements have already been carried out at these junctions and a feasibility study looking at the provision of traffic signals at Cadham is nearing completion. I have also asked my officials to consider further possible low cost improvements in the vicinity of the Cadham and Tullis Russell junctions.

Sport

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether proposals for a separate Scottish Olympic team have been considered by any of its agencies or bodies with a remit for sport and what the responses have been.

Stewart Maxwell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15829 on 11 September 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk./webapp/wa.search